Performance in Practice Vs Competition

willabur

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

slingerz

willabur wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

I know this feeling very well

yipsnomore

Welcome to Golf where the biggest hurdle to playing well in competition is your own mind!
Its the old story where the more you care about the result the more you can get in your own way. How do you stop caring? By either switching your mind off or giving it a routine and a focus on each shot so you dont give it a chance to say stupid things.

PARlance

Start a thread about it so it'll grow into a bigger problem than it is

You're just back playing competitive golf, there's more pressure, it'll take a little while to adjust.

Russman

willabur wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

That's just golf I'm afraid. Without a card in your pocket its like playing football with no goals.
Happens at all levels too, Rickie is rumoured to have shot 65 in practice for the US Open and two days later shot 81 in the first round.

Have a read of Bob Rotella's "Golf is not a Game of Perfect".

DiegoWorst

willabur wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

Not the same game I'm afraid.
No matter how insignificant the competition, having a scorecard in hand raises the pressure.

You'll get used to it.

Focus on one shot at a time, and commit to it. If it goes pear shaped, so be it, we all hit bad shots, but don't ever stand over the ball thinking about what could go wrong.

frink

Russman wrote: »

Have a read of Bob Rotella's "Golf is not a Game of Perfect".

Would echo this also. Brilliant book for helping with competition play.

Golfgraffix

I wouldnt worry about it, competitive golf is a different animal. I would forget about the 40 points, if you shoot that twice a year you are doing well, infact if you are near 36 points morre often than not then your handicap is wrong.

Shooting in the buffer is good golf !

J

willabur

I guess part of it is hoping that my handicap is wrong but wrong as in I feel there is a single handicapper inside of me rather than a handicapper in the teens.

It is completely mental, a little disturbing that the notion of competition can hamper you physically so much

Senna

Yeah competition golf is always worse than your practice rounds, even playing with good friends, lovely weather, relaxed golf, but if there's a scorecard in your pocket, its always effects your mind.
God I hate this game.

FixdePitchmark

willabur wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

To be honest it is way too early to call it any sort of anything (yips?).

Just to give an idea.

Takes up to 10 games to get a feel for playing in a competition, standing in right place, talking at the right time, marking card correctly, meeting new members, not being over built up for a game.

Then 10 to know what is going on in your head and game at various stages. To know what parts of course are too high a risk. How to not go for holes you are getting your scratches on.

Then after all above, you can look deeper at your game on your course and by stats or a good understanding of your game see where you are going wrong.

29 to 30 in your first few games is a great performance - golf (for most) is understanding the improvements are so small - it is hard to notice.

So time needed.

Dealerz

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

To be honest it is way too early to call it any sort of anything (yips?).

Just to give an idea.

Takes up to 10 games to get a feel for playing in a competition, standing in right place, talking at the right time, marking card correctly, meeting new members, not being over built up for a game.

Then 10 to know what is going on in your head and game at various stages. To know what parts of course are too high a risk. How to not go for holes you are getting your scratches on.

Then after all above, you can look deeper at your game on your course and by stats or a good understanding of your game see where you are going wrong.

29 to 30 in your first few games is a great performance - golf (for most) is understanding the improvements are so small - it is hard to notice.

So time needed.

Well said fix- I'm just back in weekly comps after 15 or so months out- the above sums up my first 2 comps back.

lowelife

Thread to follow, I've just shot 40 and 41 points and have now been cut to 9 and can't play to it in practice or competition...help.

yipsnomore

Sink or swim

Russman

lowelife wrote: »

Thread to follow, I've just shot 40 and 41 points and have now been cut to 9 and can't play to it in practice or competition...help.

Some would say that's the system performing exactly as its designed to. I think I saw somewhere that you're only supposed to play to your handicap once every seven games.

I don't necessarily agree with it, guess I'm kinda old school in thinking that you shouldn't have to play "well" to shoot 36pts, but hey that's the way its gone.

quagmire47

willabur wrote: »

Hey Guys,

Have recently begun playing in competitions having finally received an official handicap for the first time. So far I have played 3 competitions and have only scored 29, 30 and 28 points playing off 12.
In practice or casual rounds with friends I regularly shoot 40 points. Its frustrating as hell as I know I am a far better player than what I have shown. I make mistakes like topping drives, snap hooking drives, fudging chips and overhitting putts in competition which I haven't done in practice in years. Anyone have any advice or anecdotes on how to get over the competition yips?

I keep telling myself if Tiger Woods can't figure it out, what hope have I! :D:D

MisterAnarchy

Senna wrote: »

Yeah competition golf is always worse than your practice rounds, even playing with good friends, lovely weather, relaxed golf, but if there's a scorecard in your pocket, its always effects your mind.
God I hate this game.

I find the biggest difference between competition play and practice ,especially with strangers ,is that I often feel rushed .

Alot of the guys in my club that I play with ,especially higher handicappers play too quickly ,especially their pre shot routine.

I'm not a slow golfer ,I walk quickly between shots and I dont take many practic swings but I am methodical .
I think part of this is in my mind that I should play faster ,I feel rushed on my pre shot routine ,kind of self conscious when I shouldn't be .

The real Grizzly Adams

I play better in competition. In practice I try to take it seriously but maybe subconsciously my mind is saying its "only" a practice round. In competition I really concentrate & weigh everything up before I take my shot so that I know I'm playing the right type if shot & the right club."if" its pressure, don't let it get to you, IRS only a game, its not our livelihood!

daithi7

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

I find the biggest difference between competition play and practice ,especially with strangers ,is that I often feel rushed .

Alot of the guys in my club that I play with ,especially higher handicappers play too quickly ,especially their pre shot routine.

I'm not a slow golfer ,I walk quickly between shots and I dont take many practic swings but I am methodical .
I think part of this is in my mind that I should play faster ,I feel rushed on my pre shot routine ,kind of self conscious when I shouldn't be .

I can identify with all of that. I'd add some of the protocols around golf slow it up unnecessarily imho. For instance, there's no real need for more than 1 other person to look at a players shot, so this means in a 3 ball or 4 ball, the next player to play should be doing their own pre shot routine while the furthest from the hole hits their shot. No need to wait. Same with chipping don't hang around be ready to play. Same if someone duffs give them a ' rest " and hit the next shot while they compose themselves. So walk fast, no delays between shots and swing slowly that's the key to enjoyable golf... Alas not everyone gets it!